Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-11
ALMOST FINISHED.
The New Department Building
TO BE READY FOR OCCUPANCY IN JANUARY-CoI-
CAsEY'S REPORT.

cAsEYs REPORT.
Col. T. l. Casey has submitted TO the Secretary
Of War his annual report OF operations upon the
building for the State, War and Navy Departments
since october 1, 1886. He states that work has
continued steadily on the west and center wings
and the approaches Of the west front throughout
the year. "The iron work OF the roof was entirely
finished on January Is, 1887, but the last derrick
was taken down November TO- SO, and the roof
covering essentially finished at the beginning OF
winter. Stating was finished on December o and
plastering was begun on January 4. The latter
was completed in June. 81. The heating appara-
tuS was put In operation october 15 's6 and was
keep the building sufficientiy dry and In condition
Tor interior operations. The construction OF the ap
proacnes was begun Juns13 's7. and the masonry,
1ncludlng the 11th-street sidewalk tagging, was
finished by the setting OF one OF the Top steps OF
This Is
THE LAST STONE OF THE BUILDING,
the first having been set February ., 1872. in the
south wing. On May D. 1887, the marble tiling of
corridors was begun, and on July 2l the laying OF
the f1oor boards In Office rooms. Both OF these
operations are nearly finished. The bronze balus-
terS for the main starways have all been pro-
cured, and the mahogany rail has been made
nearly ready to go into place. The stairway dome
IN iron work has been finished and painted. IL is
now ready 10 receive the glass The iron work OF
the library room, occupying the attic story OF the
center pavilion, has been long delayed in the
uaHuo VI tne cOnlTactOrS Out Is now going lnUO
place and will probably be finished without fur
ther delay or interruption. All contracts OF i'm
pOrtance Tor materials and work have been made
In good season and are well in hand. All the win
dows are hung and every branch OF the work re-
Qu1red Tor the full completion OF the building is
under way In proper order. With the exception OF
the library room, 1t is still expected, expressed
in the last two annual reports, that the building
will be entirely finished and
READY FOR OCCUPANCY IN JANUARY NEXT.
The principal items of work remaining to be
ar "a N lattn ooSth tha pptpr
of DOORS glazing OF stairway dome, the iron work,
painting, ttling. and glazing OF the library, erec-
uon OF elevators and fronts and finishing the
wells, putting up the main stair-railing, hanging
tells. On the exterior OF the building the soddng
OF the approaches erection OF the iron fence and
gates, cleaning down the masonry, and asphalt
Ing the urlVeWayS are yet TO be done.
SUFFICIENT FUNDS ON HAND.
No app ropriation Was asked for last year, and
1t Is believed the funds on hand sufficient for
the entire completion OF the building" The finan-
cial statement shows that the total amount ap-
propriateL to date, for the west and center wings
Is y, lG3, 1851 and the amount expended to Oc-
tober LIST, $1,s19, 445.41, leaving q balance on
hand ON that day VI sSS4, ,0S3.2O.
Defect in the Law.
NO FUND TO PAY FOR ERECTION OF FIRE ESCAPES On
BUILDINGS WHERE THE OWNER REFUSES TO AVE
|. 1T DONE.
The law for the further protection OF property
lTon Hre anu Stlely OF lives IN Cne DlStrlct pro-
vides that any person negecting to comply with
its requirements shall be fined 500, and the Dis
trict commissioners are authorized to erect the
| necessary fire escapes or other appliances, and
/ the cost made a lien on the building. The law
however, Is defective In not providing fund
from which to pay the cost OF erecting the
escapes, and, therefore, the commission
are placed In an embarrassing position when they
attempt to enforce the law. For some months
past the fire escape commission have been exam
lining the large public and other buildings In the
city, and in many cases have ordered the erection
thereon OF suitable fire escapes.
WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS SAY.
Commissioner Webb said In reference to the
matter: "Well, If they refuse to comply with our
order and we have no fund from whf5h to pay the
cost, the matter will have to stand until the next
session OF Congress, when we will have the mis-
take rernedied."
Col Ludlow said that the matter has not yet
come before the Board Of commissioners for action;
that when 1t does there will be one OF two courses
to pursue. One is, to do nothing in the
fine OF 800 and keep on imposing 1t.
The other Is to give the work into the hands OF q
contractor, with the understanding that he must
look to the owner or the building for his pay. He
said that the money collected as fines cannot be
used for this purpose, but must be covered into
the Treasury.